A new baby is a bright ray of sunshine in the lives of their parents and family. And this sunflower baby shower took that sentiment to heart! Event Planner, Aaliya of Lacedbyliyah (FB), let her style shine bright and transformed the venue with plenty of beautiful blooms.
The invitations set the baby shower tone right from the get-go: dazzling sunflowers complemented by rustic wood for a sweet, country-chic vibe. The welcoming sign uses the same graphic, and Aaliya manages to match the venue’s wood floors almost perfectly! Coincidence? I think not!
The guests of honor, Baby Kalanee’s parents, get to enjoy seating fit for glamorous garden royalty. An eye-catching gold Payette sequined tablecloth covers their table, set with sunflower-yellow plates and sweet pictures of the growing family. The backdrop welcoming Baby Kalanee is framed with more Payette sequined curtains and deep green curtains that perfectly complement the custom backdrop. Balloon bunches add great dimension and are an excellent touch for the focal point of the room!
“Adorable” isn’t a strong enough word to describe the table centerpieces! Embroidery hoops are repurposed and dressed up with vines of ivy, clusters of sunflowers, and the sweetest image of the Sunflower Princess herself. I absolutely love that the place settings are elevated with textured, metallic gold charger plates, too! Even though the guests are eating off of disposable plates, the settings look elegant and refined. And do you see the gold pacifier napkin rings? It doesn’t get much cuter than that.
There’s a beautiful variety of colors added to the room, as well. Some guest tables have green tablecloths, some have yellow or brown, but they are all tied together with Payette sequin table runners! Which, by the way, beautifully matches the sequined tablecloths on the food and dessert tables.
The details for this rustic sunflower baby shower are spot-on, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of a beautiful sunflower-summer baby girl!
In the current
pandemic, event planners and hosts have to get creative with their party
preparations. One trend that has sped into the spotlight is drive-by showers,
where guests drive by the host’s home to drop off gifts and pick up favors
quickly. It’s all the same fun and charisma of a typical shower, with no close
contact!
Arielle, an event stylist, fully embraced this concept and gave one couple the ultimate racing-themed baby shower to celebrate the upcoming birth of their little one! The décor was equal parts cute, creative, and conscious of everyone’s safety.
A huge welcome
banner (I mean, huge) and archway welcomes the guests as they roll up to
the starting line of the shower. Once they get the green light, guests come to
the first Pit Stop – the Gift Compound. They can drop off their gifts with
minimal contact but still see the smiling faces of the Mom and Dad of the Hour.
Super cute and a perfect concept for the theme!
After the next leg
of the race, guests come to the second Pit Stop – the Refueling Station! At
this stop, guests receive a boxed lunch and delicious cupcake to thank them for
attending. And all of it is packaged to-go in checkered-flag boxes that drive
the racing theme home.
In between the two
pit stops is the focal point of the whole event – the Finish Line. A “roadway”
draws your eye up to the top of the driveway, transformed into a winner’s
circle for the growing family. It’s complete with checkered flag patterns
galore, a balloon tower stoplight, thrones for Mom and Dad, and an adorable
little hot rod for their two little ones. And let’s not forget the outfit that
Mama is wearing! She looks fantastic rocking that racing suit.
Take a victory
lap, Arielle; this drive-by racing baby shower brings all race fans to their
feet!
There are lots of milestones
to celebrate as a baby grows up. The six-months-old mark, first solid foods,
first steps, first teeth…but have you ever considered throwing a 100 Days Old
celebration? After seeing this one, decorated by Ms. Laine Events, you will
want to!
The theme for this party is little piglets – an adorable choice for a newborn baby – and oh, did Ms. Laine bring the piggies! The custom graphic saying “Brayden is 100 days old” features the cutest little pig you ever did see, and makes the perfect focal point for the room. The chevron design on the graphic is modern yet cute enough to fit right in with the theme, and the light blue color scheme makes a stunning contrast against the sweet, pink piglets.
One of the biggest
head-turners is the mylar balloons shaped like pigs. How adorable are they?
Besides being the most lovable balloons outside of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade, the pig balloons make excellent fillers to fluff and fill any empty
space throughout the room. The guests are guaranteed to coo over them almost as
much as the baby!
Guests were directed to the room at the venue with a clever easel, sporting a sign that has the same cute piggy from the custom graphic inside. More pig balloons surrounded the easel, grabbing guests’ attention and giving an adorable sneak preview of the décor in the party space! As a final touch, balloons of light blue and pig pink add some flair and tie the whole display together.
One of the things I love the most about the decorations is the little touches of rustic charm throughout the space. Galvanized milk cans are filled with faux wildflowers and greenery, with just a bit of faux hay to elevate the country charisma. It’s not overdone, though! There’s just enough to add to the farmhouse atmosphere without detracting from the central theme of the party.
The treats and sweets for the party are worth celebrating themselves. Custard pies with “pigs on a stick” decorations are sure to make guests squeal with delight. And the fluffy buttercream icing on the cupcakes is tempting enough for anyone to burrow their nose in!
Adorable “piggy pops,” pigs
on a stick, are ready to go for guests to enjoy at the party or on their way
out the door. If you look closely, you can see that each piggy pop has a
different expression on its face. Some even dressed for the occasion and have a
party hat! As if things couldn’t get any cuter, little pig-shaped donuts hang
on an upscale pegboard to be plucked from their perches as the guests leave.
These little pigs also have different expressions on their faces, the same as
the piggy pops. A tiny detail that brings all the elements together!
All in all, baby’s barnyard bash is a precious, yet simple theme to make your 100-days-old party (or any age, for that matter!) a huge success. All thanks to the inspiration from Ms. Lain’s Events!
Words from the planner: Oink Oink again!! Another cute piggy theme that we just styled recently. Thanks to Brayden’s mummy for your trust & support. We hope everyone had a great time!
Organizing a baby shower for the first time can be nerve-racking especially because unlike birthday parties, you don’t get an opportunity to plan as many baby showers as you would have with birthday parties. Baby Shower is a widespread tradition worldwide. It is a very special occasion for new mothers. Although most of the time only female participates in this kind of occasion, it is not restricted only for women. In this everchanging mordern world, it is becoming more and more popular for a coed baby shower where males also attend so both Parents-to-be can enjoy the special day.
The list of things you have to consider can take up a whole toilet roll, from choosing the date and baby shower venue, to deciding what menu to serve, games to play, and party favors to give out. Planning for a successful event requires a lot of responsibility, particularly if you are throwing a party for the first time mom. Here are some tips in organizing an amazing baby shower.
DO NOT FEAR “THE LIST”
Yes, you have to make that checklist for the baby shower.
Many people prefer to proceed without making a checklist. This is because once you write the list, you start to see that there will be a lot to do. But you should look at it this way, you’ll be reminded of all the things you will need and the minimal pressure will keep you on your toes.
Keeping that checklist will take unnecessary expenses and anxieties off your mind. You can also develop an effective and less stressful timetable if you follow your list religiously. However, do not breakdown if there are minor setbacks. That is why you have the list; it could include alternate plans. You’ll have an idea how (and the time) to resolve the problem just by going through what you have written. Plus, every time you check an item from the list, you should know you’re getting closer to having that fun baby shower!
AND SO, THE LIST BEGINS….
Set the Time of the Shower
The first thing that you need to think about is the time of the party. Before or after the newly born has arrived? If you (the host) decide to hold the baby shower before the delivery of the baby, as customary, it is best to schedule it at least two months before the baby’s expected date of birth.
This is ideal because of a number of reasons.
• The baby’s gender can usually be determined 16-18 weeks of the pregnancy.
But there are times that the baby likes to tease (as in being in a position that hides his or her gender parts). Knowing the baby’s gender is a great help for planning the theme and for the guests to know what presents to give.
• The friends and family give presents in the baby shower to lessen the items the excited parents will have to buy. But not everything will be provided for them. The two months remaining will provides the parents-to-be some time to purchase the things that they did not receive on the shower party
• Probably the most obvious reason is that it will be unlikely for the mother to give birth this early. Though not impossible, holding the baby shower at this time will lessen the probability of an emergency occurring.
by Bright Sky Events
by West Bloom Paper Co.
Who Hosts the Baby Shower?
Anyone can host Baby showers for the new “parents to be” A family member, a friend, or a co-worker. You can even find an event planner to help you plan a successful baby shower. If it is a surprise baby shower, then get the family to help out with the guest list and gift items.
Baby Shower Budget
True that when arranging something for someone, it’s the thought that counts. But you’ll also have to deal with finances to make it happen. So for that, you need to set straight how much you can spend. Make sure you stick within a budget for the next baby shower! Be realistic and determine what you can afford to spend. Remember, the smallest details add up. Keep in mind that the party will be appreciated because of your creative effort, and not because of how much you spent on it. (There’s nothing wrong in spending a large amount as long as it wouldn’t make the mother-to-be feel guilty for making you broke.) Setting a budget means you’ll have to know what you want in the party that will fit with what you can spend. Budget for invitations, favors, food and drinks, game supplies and your gift for the baby.
Budgeting for Essentials
Consider what are the essentials (as in the location, food, etc.) and what are the extras (like props, sculpture decorations, chocolate fondue fountains, etc.). Sometimes people get discouraged in holding a baby shower because they think they do not have enough money. The answer is creativity coupled with careful planning. Take for example, you want to have 60 guests but can’t afford a place that can hold that much people or to buy food for that number. Don’t be afraid to ask mommy-to-be if she would know anyone whose home or backyard be large enough to accommodate the number of expected guests. Undercover BBQ park is another great place to have the party.
Venue & Food Cost
If you can host it at mommy-to-be’s home, your home or at someone else’s home, you might still need some more chairs and utensils, so don’t forget to budget this in. If you decide to host it in other venues, such as in a restaurant, you need to research the prices of the venue and the food there. Also, advance booking at least a month before is necessary to make sure that you can have the place for the date you want. You might also want to hold it where the mother-to-be and the guests find it easy to go to. You need to check the place yourself before deciding on it as to make sure you can decorate it according to your plans or you are allowed to bring outside food (if you’re only renting space without their catering services).
As for the food, if you are on a budget, setting the baby shower in the afternoon with biscuits and simple pastries will be enough for the guests.
The Guest Llist
The best way to compile the guest list is to ask the mother-to-be. If the baby shower is a surprise, work closely with the father-to-be on the guest list.
What we should remember is that you are hosting a baby shower for HER. This generally means you have to invite the people you know she will be pleased to see. While making that list, remember to secure phone numbers, emails, and addresses for your own ease in sending invitations and deciding the location of the party.
You also have to decide whether you’d want the baby shower for the close friends only, family only, co-workers or mixed, as it is now a trend to have multiple baby showers from each group. Some also hold baby showers for female friends exclusively but you could also make it a couple shower if you’d want to include the proud father-to-be and some of your male friends. Most importantly, take note of the number of people you can invite.
Choosing a Baby Shower Theme
You can choose from many and fun baby shower themes for Boys and Girls! – remember this will be the baby’s first party so make it fun and memorable! The theme is important because it will help you choose decorations, party favors and menu, so it will be a lot easier with the planning.
You can decorate the location a dominating color to announce the gender of the baby or you can ask the guests to wear uniform colors. You can make it more interesting by having a role-playing theme. This means you can ask guests to wear or act according to the theme.
You have to first consider what the mother-to-be thinks will be fun. As in, if she likes detective movies, you can ask the guests to wear detective costumes and decorate the location to have the same “mystery” atmosphere she likes. Also, you can make a program that seems like you’re all solving a mystery. That way you will all be having fun. If you keep her interest in mind, you’ll surely think of a great theme for the baby shower.
The Perfect Menu
The menu is an important aspect of the baby shower. But you really don’t need to beat yourself thinking of the “awesome menu” you should get together. Although there are lots of things to consider, it’ll be fairly easy if you considered two main things. Time of the baby shower and the number of guests.
Number of People.
Ideally, you would have included RSVP date at least a two weeks prior to the event so that you can finalize the amount of food that should be enough for everybody. The time of the baby shower will then help you decide what kind of food you want to serve.
Time of the Baby Shower.
You need to set whether it’ll be a baby shower with sit-down meals or be a mingle and finger-food one. Many prefer serving light and healthy snacks, fruits and finger foods since the aim of the celebration is to share experiences and encouraging the mother-to-be. However, you need to remember that if you go with light snacks and finger foods, the time should be between lunch and dinner.
The general rule is prepare a menu that will be enough for everybody. You might also want to skip on alcohol unless mommy-to-be is okay with it. Don’t forget to consider the amount of time and room available for the shower, as well as any special dietary needs of the mommy-to-be and her guests.
Where to Host the Baby Shower
Baby showers are usually held at the host’s home. However if you opt for somewhere else, make sure it is easy to get to and can accommodate the guests well. Baby shower venues could be a local park, restaurant, reception hall, or any place where everyone can enjoy the party. Have an idea of how many people you expect before arranging any final details.
When to Host the Baby Shower
This could be before or after the baby is born. Check with the mom to be. However, baby showers are normally held 6 weeks before the expected delivery date. The most important is you have plenty of time for planning. Showers can be held on either weekends or during the week. Just try to make the time and day convenient for everyone including any out-of-town guests. As for the time, consider the needs of people who must travel to attend. Don’t forget mother-to-be’s schedule.
The Invitations
This can range from a casual phone call to the most formal printed baby shower invitations. Sending an invitation via phone, email, facebook or any other social network method will save you money and is also environmentally friendly. However, there are few benefits in sending it by mail. It will set the tone for the event and it can also be a great keepsake for the mom-to-be. Think about tying the design and the invitation wording to the theme you have chosen for the baby shower party.
Essential Details to be included in Invitation:
Name of the Mommy-to-be
Date and Time
Location
RSVP date and contact information of who to RSVP
Gift Registry
Any other information such as Diaper Raffle if you are including it in your invite
The invitations must include the important details. Like the location, date, time, RSVP (especially RSVP by date), your contact details and theme. You can add personal messages to make it more friendly. Tidbits for what you suggest the mother-to-be would want for a gift will also be helpful for the guest. That is, you’d be volunteering the information without making it seem like they need to have that gift in order to attend the party.
The Baby Shower Games
Games will make the party fun. There are plenty of silly, fun and ice breaker type of baby shower games. Talk to mommy-to-be, give her few options on what games to play and let her decide on what she thinks would be most appropriate for the guests as after all she knows them the best!
It is recommended to prepare between 2 to 5 games. Putting in some fun in the program will lighten everybody’s mood and make the sharing more open. More to the point, it will create nice memories for the mom-to-be. There are a number of traditional baby shower games like Pin The Sperm on the Egg, Guess Mom’s Tummy Size, Then and Now, Etc.
You should, however, be careful not to incorporate very physical games as there is at least one pregnant woman involved. Fun prizes will also be great souvenirs for the guests.
Now, those are the basic things you should remember to achieve that perfect baby shower. There might be other details (like gifts, cakes, music, presentations) that you want to add. The list can be expanded according to your plans. As long as you think it would be fun for the mom-to-be, you can extend your effort. You were thoughtful enough to hold a baby shower for her, why not just go all out? With these guidelines and your thoughtfulness, it will surely be a fun, fun, fun baby shower
Special Prizes
Remember you’ll need to giveBaby shower party favors or any other special prizes for the winners of the games. Of course, favors can also be given to those who did not win when the event is finished to say a big thank you for attending. Remember to keep to what that you can afford. Don’t forget that it could be as simple as your baked cookies!
Now you’re ready for a successful Baby Shower party!
Are you planning a baby shower but aren’t wild about traditional baby shower games? If you want to spice things up a little, here are four fun Minute to Win Baby Shower It-style games you can play to make your event a memorable one. Your guests are guaranteed to goo-goo, gaga over them!
The first minute to win it baby shower game on our list is called Ping Pong Bounce. This game requires a long table, a baby bathtub, and ping pong balls. Fill the baby bathtub with water and place it at one end of the table. Put the ping pong balls in a bucket or container and place them at the other end of the table, opposite from the bathtub.
Much like another certain “pong” game (wink, wink), players must bounce their ping pong balls from one end of the table to the other. The goal is to get as many ping pong balls into the bathtub before time runs out!
Extra challenge: instead of a baby bathtub, you can place small plastic dishes (think sundae bowls, anything that floats) on the table. The objective is to bounce the ping pong balls into the floating targets!
Sugar BabyMinute to Win It
Number two on our list of fun baby shower games is Sugar Baby. For this game, you will need to find letter-shaped candy or gummies (like these ones). You will also need a big bowl filled with sugar, a plastic spoon, and a disposable tablecloth to make your life easier.
Step one is to cover the playing field with that plastic tablecloth – trust me.
Step two is to pick out enough candy letters to spell the word “baby” (or any chosen word or name) and bury those letters into the sugar bowl.
Step three is to make your friends play, and laugh hysterically.
The players must pinch the
plastic spoon between their teeth, search through the sugar, and fish out the
letters. They can only use the spoon, so it’s helpful to have them hold their
hands behind their back to avoid the temptation of grabbing the bowl. The first
or fastest one to dig out all four letters is the winner!
Extra challenge: rather than just fishing the letters out of the bowl, have your players use the spoon in their teeth to arrange the letters on the table to spell “baby” correctly!
Dizzy DiaperMinute to Win It
Our third game is called Dizzy Diaper. All you will need to play this game is a roll of toilet paper and two players with a good sense of humor! Player 1 will hold the roll of toilet paper on a holder. Player 2 will take the end of the toilet paper in their hand. When the round starts, Player 2 must start spinning around and wrap themselves in the toilet paper – preferably around the lower half of their body! The fastest or first team to successfully wrap their player in a toilet paper diaper wins!
Extra challenge: tuck the end of the toilet paper into Player 2’s waistband instead of having them hold it in their hands. Have them tuck their arms in, so if the toilet paper breaks, Player 1 has to help them start wrapping again!
The fourth and final game to jazz up your baby shower is Pop it BABY. Before the guests arrive, write out the letters B-A-B-Y on separate slips of paper and stuff each of them into their own balloons. Inflate the balloons, and be sure to keep them appropriately grouped together.
Your players must pair up and try to pop the balloons using only their heads to get the letters inside! Once they have popped all the balloons and collected all the letters, they will need to arrange them in the correct order to win. For a simpler option, you can ask the players to sit on the balloons to pop.
Extra challenge:
spell out different words for different rounds of the game, just be sure to
keep the number of balloons the same. For example, spell out “baby” in one
group of balloons and “girl” in another. This way, every player has to figure
out a new word puzzle!
The coronavirus has altered the state of the world and changed the way our day-to-day lives work. From new social distancing norms to mandated stay-at-home orders urging isolation for months, this is a situation that feels very much like time has stopped. But the fact is, life is still going on, and people are still experiencing important milestones in their lives, such as new babies on the way, weddings, anniversaries, etc.
We don’t know how long the world itself will be at a standstill like this, and celebrating these big milestones in our lives that continue on no matter what, is significant. There are ways to do this while still being safe and healthy during this pandemic, so if you’ve got a little miracle on the way, never fear! Below, check out the amazing ways you can still celebrate a baby shower with your loved ones.
We are so lucky to be in a time of video messaging in the forms of apps like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime. There are one of two ways that you might choose to celebrate, but regardless of which you go with, send out invitations! We have plenty of free instant download digital invitations in variety of designs. Just because everyone can be together doesn’t mean you can’t make this celebration feel like a true one. Adorable invitations are a way to get into the spirit of celebrating the upcoming bundle of joy.
Livestream:
If you’re looking for something a little more low key and quiet, you can settle in your baby’s nursery with the gifts your loved ones have sent to you by post. Then, have all the guests hop on a conference video call through a shared app so that everyone can experience watching you open your gifts, and they can see the nursery you’ve created! If you don’t have access to Zoom, you can even live stream on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. This is convenient and easy for everyone, no matter what devices they’re on.
Zoom Zoom:
But, if you want to go all out like you would if you could be together with your party guests, you can do that, too! For this, you’ll need a video conferencing app (such as Zoom, as mentioned) so that you and all of your loved ones can share the screen together. For this type of baby shower celebration, give info to your guests in the invitation beforehand to be prepared to play whatever games you’ve decided on. You might even choose to send baby shower packets to your guests, which can include game materials and baby shower favors. You can even include ingredients to simple recipes so that every guest can enjoy the same baby shower treats that they themselves easily whip up! Things like minimal ingredient cookies and muffins are ideal for this.
Virtual Baby Shower Games
Some easy and fun games to play remotely with each other are Baby Bingo, Guess That Celebrity Baby, Who knows mommy best, and Would She Rather. I love printable activities because it is super easy to send guests digital versions of these. Guests can print it out at home or if they don’t have a printer, they’ll just need a paper and a pen to write down the answers ready to share with the rest of the guests. To make it more interactive, you can personalize the Guess That Celebrity Baby Game to include photos of the guest! You’ll need to get the guests to send their baby photo to you, yes, it may sound like a lot of work, but trust me it will be worth the effort!
There are other virtual baby shower games you can purchase online. One great shop is ThinkGames, where you can find all sorts of virtual games using powerpoint. Some games are Battle Trivia, and Jeopardy game. The battle trivia has up to 10 rounds, but you can skip or delete rounds you don’t want to use as they are very customizable!
Like the Virtual baby showers, Drive-by Baby Showers are the new take on traditional showers. They are also known as a Baby Shower Parade, Curb-side Baby Shower or Drive Thru Baby Shower.
Drive-by Baby Shower is an option that would work well if your close friends and families live in the same city. They would also need a car of their own as carpooling with friends that we are so used to would not be possible with social distancing in place. Drive-by baby shower won’t replace the traditional baby showers, but it is certainly fun and definitely won’t be an event to forget!
What is Drive-by Baby Shower?
Drive-by Baby Shower is where the guests drive by the Parents-to-be’s home and celebrate them with honking, cheers and gifts. Preferably, you’d want to organize the time well so that there’ll be a line of cars outside, but if you are inviting over 30 guests, you’d want to make sure you set the time frame appropriately so that the road would not be totally blocked, as the last thing you’d want is complaints from the neighbors.
Hosting a drive-by baby shower might seem a little daunting, definitely a new challenge for you as no one has planned for one before nor been invited to it. Don’t worry, it is not as hard as you might think, a lot of the hassles are actually taken away when you compare it to the traditional or virtual baby showers.
For invitations, you could send a group chat or prepare a digital invitation to email or you can still send out paper invites! The main details would include the date and a 30 minutes time frame for when the guests are to drive by. If you are inviting more than 30 guests, you may want to extend the time frame to an hour. Rsvp won’t be necessary but if gifts are planned, be sure to add the registry details. You may want to take this opportunity to mention if the gifts are to be mailed or dropped off from a safe distance.
Wording for Drive-by Baby Shower Invitation
👉“It’a a Drive by Baby Shower to honor xxxxxx Since we can’t be together to celebrate today, let’ shower the family in a different way. Drive by to show your love and support. follow the signs to enjoy curbside treats, favors and a card/gift drop.”
👉“Beep, honk, shout & wave! It’s a drive by baby shower honoring parents-to-be xxxxx. Since we can’t be together today, let’s shower the family in a different way. Beep, honk, shout, and wave. It’s a drive by baby shower parade!”
Decorating for Drive-by Baby Shower
You can still decorate for the event, but it does not need to be elaborate. You can keep the decorations minimal with balloons or a large poster backdrop, a gift table by the curb, and comfortable chairs for the parents-to-be with their favorite music playing in the background. This would set the mood perfectly. Having a game just as the guests drop off their gift might also be fun. A suitable game would be a guessing game such as “guess how many jelly beans are in the jar.” A winner could have a movie voucher mailed to them.
Favors for Drive-by Baby Shower
Although baby shower favors aren’t essential, if parents-to-be are expecting to receive gifts, I think it would be nice to prepare favors for guests to pick up as they drive past.
6 Foot Block Shower!
If your loved ones live nearby and if current restriction allows, why not gather in person with the necessary precautions to celebrate? By keeping things outside, and guests standing at least six feet from one another, you can all still be together and party for the baby on the way! You can prepare goody bags with treats, games, and favors prior to the event and leave those in a spot in your driveway or yard for guests to pick up separately, yet still enjoy all together! You can do this same method with guests individually dropping off gifts in a certain area. Just remember—this idea for a baby shower is probably only possible if you have plenty of outside space, as the logistics for at least six feet of space would not work indoors.
Simple Drop-Off.
If you’re looking for something ultra-simple for everyone and completely stress-free, for whatever reason, you can hold a simple drop-off and greet. Guests can drop off their gifts at your doorstep and say hello, and you can send them home with premade bags of baby-themed treats and fun favors. Hassle-free, no contact, and your loved ones still get to show up to celebrate you and your new baby.
